Classroom cabinet with swinging paper tray



Sept. 8, 1959 w. w. BROCKWAY 2,903,318

CLASSROOM CABINET WITH SWINGING PAPER TRAY INVENTOR.

" WILH ELM BROCKWAY A TTORNEY Sept. 8, 1959 w. w. BROCKWAY 2,903,318

CLASSROOM CABINET WITH SWINGING PAPER TRAY Filed Aug. 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. W l LH ELM BROCKWAY ATTORNEY United States Patent "CLASSROOM 'QIABENET WITH "SWINGING .PAPER TRAY Wilhelm -W..Brockway, =Los Angeles, Galif. Application August 4,5195%,"Sei1ial No.752;904

J3 iCiaims. (Ch $12-$04) This invention zrelatesrto telassroom :cabinets {and has as :its general :object ttoiprovide-an improved cabinet for the storage of paper :in sheet ;fo,rm i(ztyp ewriter paper, drawing paper, :compositionapapen;etc.;)

.:In :general, Ffll invention tcontemplates ,a cabinet iproided-withlazplurality -.of storage :trays tthat are mounted for \vertical swinging movement between horizontal :posi- :tions inzwhich :the trays :mayzproject through the open front of the cabinet, and storage positions ,Wherein ;the trays :are zinclinedidownwardly :and ;rearwardly within the cabinet :andtthus accommodated withinthe cabinet encloslire ealthough rof too :great a twidthfromtront to {rear-to the thus accommodated \when ,in.-horizontal positions. .'In one of its forms, theinvention furthereontemplates such a nabinet :structure wherein the strays, :in their ,=ho.rizontal positions, :may :be 4 extended, by sliding, :through :the open front of {the cabinet to ;facilitate the handling :of paper stock-carried bytthetrays.

tther objects and advantages will become apparent ,in the tensuingspecifications and appended drawingiin which :Eig. lalSzfl verticahfront to rear sectional view ;of .a storage cabinet embodying my invention .in :a ,preferred form thereof;

ig. 2 is a -.fragmentary lhorizontal asectional view :taken onthe line 2'2= of,Fig. 51,;

iEig. 8 is a vertical sectional wiew taken -;on tthe -line 3-3.of,-Fig. 1;

:Fig. 4;is ,a :detail horizontal {sectional view "taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. =1

:5 is ,a :fragmentary vertical jfront -to rear sectional viewofv a modifiedform-oftthe invention; and

Fig. :6 :is a detail horizontaleectional aview taken -on thedine 6-e6:ofiiig.:5.

Referring -.now [to the drawings .in i detail, J have shown therein,-as an :exarnpleof tonerform in ,which the invention may be embodied, :a 'classroom qcabinet embodying, in general, a fixed :housing :structure ,A ,adapted :to rest upon; a floor ,orasuitable supporting stand; a tiltingslide assembly :B mounted within the housing 1A for tilting movement between sthe positions indicated :in .full .lines and dotted lines respectively; and .a series of trays C mounted .in respective ,pairsof ways .13 :of assembly :13.

The invention :in its preferred form ,providesior ,fi-xing the trays C to the rails 13 of assembly B, and such -.constructionlmay berregardedas being represented by the full lineshowing :of the trays iiIlrFig. .1. As anqptional alternative, the trays, instead .of beingsecnred toltherails ,13, may be each independently slidable in :their respective section .-of the slide -rail assembly B, .-for, extension to positions indicatedbyathe horizontal-broken lines. Trays C are adapted to -,be tilted :along with I the :assembly B.

FFhehousing A, comprises a'backpanel =10, -a pairtof side panels t1-1,.,a door frame ,-12 idefining -an open front, ;a suitable base or stand (not shown because it .may the entirely conventional) \forrsnpporting the housing .A,up on a'elassroom floorpand a-suitable.,cover-orcap whichrlikewiseris :HQtrShOWH because :it mayabe of strictly conventionaliconstruction.

2,903,318 Hatented Sept. 8, 1959 The slide assembly =B includes several pairs .of ways 13 of.channel section disposed adjacent respective side panels '11; apairtof vertical mounting bars 14 sto which the respective ways are pivotally .attached :near their .forwardends by means;of.pivots ;.and a pairrof slideibars 16 .toxwhich ;the rear ends of the :respectivezrails :13are pivotallyattaehed.bymeansof pivots -17. Secured to the respective side panels 11, immediately adjacent \the rear panel 10, are a pair of vertical guides F18 in whichithe slide bars :16 ;are retained and guided =for .vertically slid- .ingtmovement. Also-securedto therespectiveinner faces of side panels '11 :are Ihorizontal :rails 19, interposed immediately between sthc respective mounting bars 114 and adjacent-side panels 11. ,A pair of rollers 20, ,fiachiattached toamespective'mounting'bar 1.4 .between the latter and ,a arespective rail 19, :are received -.in the zrespective rails 19 for horizontally rolling movement therein (to {accommodate :bodily inward :and -.outward movements of .mountingbar 14 with respect-,toithe housing zTherraiiS 19 areof channelsection as disclosedin Fig. 3,:and the :rollerszllareireceived therein for :rolling movement upon the loweriflangcs thereof.

Referring .:now :to Fig. 4, the-vertical slide bars .16 are of "fhat" section (modified channel section including a vchannel ibody portion :21 and lrnarg'inal flanges .212 pro- ,ieetingzoutwardly from the op nzsideoftchannel s i- :Ihe r a guides 118 re of Ctsec onneaeh includi g-a fla back web 23 se ure e r spective id xpanehld IQ 'ih housing, n 1a p iref marrow rhannels 24 re eiving and sli b y m un ng respectiv lflanses 2.2- ZEhe .n vnt 7157,, as disclosed iinliig. '4, maybe of-a shonlderedttype, including a relatively; smallldiameter stem 25 riveted pinto he eb of channel se on a large diam terrtrunnien section 26 rotatably received in a cylindrical aperture in .the eb .of :a r s ective way 13,, and a h ad .27 n agins the inner :face'of th web to a tach he s me t tthetsl de bar 16. :Similar ,rivet type ,pivots {1-5, :with stems ,25 .riveted ,into the respective mounting bars ,14 and enlarged trunnion bodies 1,26 rotatable in cylindrical apertures :in ways :13, .may 2 constitute the pivots d5 ;connec tingithe ,slideways :13 to the mountingbars -14-as shownimFiggB.

;Each tray-C c,omprises ,a bottom panel ,28, a pair of sides 29, .and a =rrear end member 30 ,which is rslanted forwardly and upwardly, substendingwith the respective bottom panel 28 ia\dihedr,al angle corresponding to the angle (e, g. 45) ,at ,which the trays are tilted in -,t h ei r stored positions, illustrated-in broken vlines ,in ,Fig. 1. In this stored position, the sheetsiof paper, ttending-to-slide .rearwardly and downwardly, will be :snppprted against the back member 30;.

{The respective side extremities ,of bottom panels '28 project laterallyand are slidablymeceivedwithin the Ways 13 whichare ofmectangular channel section as shown (see Fig. '3). Theseprojecting side ,portions -;of bottom panels 28constitute slide gflanges 31-:which.are received in the respective ways 13, whereby ,the trays ,C a e securelyrmounted invthe slideways 13;. Where the trays are mounted ,for horizontal sliding;movements,;the flanges -3,'1 constituteslides and ,areslidablymounted inslideways ;13.

,In theoperation-ofthe.trays C,and their snpporting mechanism :B, the traysCmaynormallybe disposedgin the positions shown in full lines ,in ,Fig. .1, ,with ;their rear endsengagingstops 3-2 inthe,rear ends of,ways;13;;.=and when ,all trays ,are-thus positioned, the entire assemblytof trays andsupporting-mechanismmay be tilted from the horizontal position shown in full lines do the downwardly and rearwardly tilted positions shown in broken ,lines. Whereas in .the,horizontal positions, the :trays .wilLextend through theopen front of,the cabinet; as shown in iull lines, the downwardly tilted positions enable the trays 2to be retracted entirely within the cabinet ,as indicated ,by the brokenlines. Such retractionof ,thetraysis eiiected by a bodily inward shifting of the mounting bars 14, with their rollers 20 traveling in rails 19, as the vertical slide bars 16 are simultaneously shifted downwardly from positions of maximum elevation shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to' downward limits shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. Thus, while the rearward extremities of rails 13 and trays C move in a vertical plane without any horizontal shifting movement, the forward extremities of the guideways 13 and trays C will be drawn into the cabinet because of the foreshortening of the horizontal distance between the respective bars 14 and 16, resulting from the downward tilting movement.

Where the trays are mounted for sliding movement in ways 13, they may be extended by such sliding movement to the positions shown in horizontal broken lines in Fig. l.

The downward tilting movement may be effected by grasping the forward portion of one of the tray bottoms 28 in the hands and applying a downward twisting movement thereto while simultaneously pushing rearwardly thereon.

Conversely, when it is desired to open the cabinet and extend the trays for convenient access to their contents, the operator may grasp the forward portion of one of the trays with one hand, place the other hand beneath the lowermost tray at a point well to the rear of the mounting bars 14 and press upwardly against the bottom.

In the preferred form of the invention shown in Figs. 14, inclusive, the invention contemplates, in lieu of a complete counterbalancing of the trays about their pivots 15, the use of frictional engagement of the tray support ways 13 against the inner faces of mounting bars 14, developed as by setting the rivets or bolts 15 tightly to clamp the engaged members to one another, or by the use of thin friction washers (not shown) between the opposed faces of members 13 and 14 to provide a controlled frictional holding action sufiicient to overcome the downward tilting force developed by the weight of the trays and slide bars 16 on the rear side of the axis of pivots 15 as overbalanced against the weight of the portions of the trays forwardly of the pivot axes. Thus the manual operating force applied to the trays in tilting them both downwardly and upwardly, is utilized to shift them between their respective positions, and the trays when released will remain in the position to which they have been moved. To minimize the need for such frictonal holding means, the axes of pivots 15 may be disposed more nearly at the midway point between the front and rear margins of the trays (as by locating the mounting bars 14 and slide rails 19 closer to the back of the cabinet than the position shown in Fig. 1) so that only a slight excess of weight in the rear portions of the assembly over that forwardly of the pivot axes of pivots 15, need be handled by the frictional holding means.

Figs. and 6 disclose a modified form of the invention wherein counterbalancing of the tray assembly is provided by a pair of yieldable supporting springs 35 disposed in the vertical channel spaces between slide bars 16 and vertical guides 18 (Fig. 6); each of the springs 35 having its upper end anchored at 36 to a respective guide 18 and having its lower end anchored at 37 to a respective slide bar 16. The loading value of springs 35 is just suflicient to support the excess weight of the tray assemblies rearwardly of pivots 15 when the tray assemblies are in the raised position of the ways 13 shown in Fig. 5, and in the downwardly tilted positions the increase in the load value of the springs due to their extension (coil springs being typically of a positive rate or increasing load value as they are extended) is compensated by the shift in the balance of load in the trays as normally loaded, toward the back of the cabinet as the trays are tilted downwardly, the center of load being distributed above the axes of pivots 15 in the raised positions of the trays; and will be further compensated by friction in the pivot joints of the tray assembly. I find however that the preferred method of counterbalancing is to properly distribute the weight of the trays fore and aft of the pivots 15, with a moderate excess of load rearwardly thereof, and to utilize a moderate amount of friction in the pivots 15 for holding action.

I claim:

1. In a tilting-tray cabinet, in combination: a housing having a back panel and side panel and an open front; a plurality of article trays each having slide flanges at the respective sides thereof; a pluraltiy of pairs of slideways of channel section with open inner sides each receiving a respective slide flange whereby each tray is mounted for fore-aft sliding movement in a respective pair of slideways; a pair of vertical slide bars to which the rear ends of the respective slideways are pivotally attached; a pair of vertical slides attached to the respective side panels of the housing immediately adjacent the rear panel thereof and receiving the respective vertical slide bars for vertically sliding movement thereof whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of slideways and their trays may be tilted downwardly; a pair of vertical supporting bars to which the respective slideways are pivotally attached adjacent their forward ends; a pair of horizontal rails secured to the inner faces of the respective side panels of the housing; and rollers attached to the respective mounting bars and engaged in the respective rails between the latter and said mounting bars and adapted to roll in the respective rails for supporting said mounting bars for bodily inward and outward movements with respect to the open front of said housing, following the downward tilting movements and upward return movements of the rear ends of the respective slideways.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said vertical guides are of C-channel section with respective channel flanges at the respective sides thereof and wherein said vertical slide bars are of hat section each including a channel section body portion and a pair of marginal flanges at the open sides thereof, said marginal flange being slidably received in the respective channel flanges of said vertical guides.

3. In a tilting-tray cabinet, in combination: a housing having an open front; a plurality of article trays each having slide means at the respective sides thereof; a plurality of pairs of slideways each cooperating with respective slide means whereby each tray is mounted for fore-aft sliding movement; a pair of vertical slides on the respective sides of the housing immediately adjacent the rear thereof; means on the rear ends of the respective slideways cooperating with the respective vertical slides for vertically sliding movement whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of slideways and their trays may be tilted downwardly; a pair of vertical supporting bars to which the respective slideways are pivotally attached adjacent their forward ends; a pair of horizontal rails secured to the inner faces of the respective side panels of the housing; and means on the respective mounting bars and cooperating with the respective rails for supporting said mounting bars for bodily inward and outward movements with respect to the open front of said housing, following the downward tilting movements and upward return movements of the rear ends of the respective slideways.

4. In a tilting-tray cabinet, in combination: a housing having an open front; a plurality of article trays each having slide means at the respective sides thereof; a plurality of pairs of slideways each cooperating with respective slide means whereby each tray is mounted for fore-aft sliding movement; a pair of vertical slides on the respective sides of the housing immediately adjacent the rear thereof; vertical slide means on the rear ends of the respective slideways cooperating with the respective vertical slides for vertically sliding movement whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of slideways and their trays may be tilted downwardly; a pair of vertical supporting bars to which the respective slideways are pivotally attached adjacent their forward ends; a pair of horizontal ,rails secured to thetinner faces of,the respective side panels ,of,the. hou'sing; means on ,the ,respective mounting bars ,and cooperating with the respective rails iorsnpporting saidmounting' bars Ifor bodily, inward and outward movements With respect to the open front of said housing, .followingthe downward tilting movements and upward return movements ,ofthe-rear ends o'fjthe respective 'slideways; and spring means ,acting'between said :sli'deways land therespective vertical jslide means, sptingloading, said ,slidewaysfor-(downward tilting move- ,ment.

;5. In. atilting-tray cabinet, "in combination: a housing having a back panel and side paneland an open front; a plurality of article trays ,eachTincluding apair of side members, aback member, a bottom panel secured to and projecting laterally beyond :said side panels, :to provide slide flanges atiherespective sides thereof; a plurality of pairs of slideways "of channel section "with open inner sides eachireceiving.arespective,sidesflange wherebyreach tray is mounted for fore-aft sliding movement in a respective pair of slideways; a pair-of vertical slide bars to whichiztherrear ends of the respectiverslideways:aregpivotally attached; a pair of vertical slides attached to the respective side panels of the housing immediately adjacent the rear panel thereof and receiving the respective vertical slide bars for vertically sliding movement thereof whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of slideways and their trays may be tilted downwardly; a pair of vertical supporting bars to which the respective slideways are pivotally attached adjacent their forward ends; and a pair of horizontal rails secured to the inner faces of the respective side panels of the housing; and rollers attached to the respective mounting bars and engaged in the respective rails between the latter and said mounting bars and adapted to roll in the respective rails for supporting said mounting bars for bodily inward and outward movements with respect to the open front of said housing, following the downward tilting movements and upward return movements of the rear ends of the respective slideways.

6. In a tilting-tray cabinet, in combination: a housing having a back panel and side panel and an open front; a plurality of article trays each including a pair of side members, a back member, a bottom panel secured to and projecting laterally beyond said side panels, to provide slide flanges at the respective sides thereof; a plurality of pairs of slideways of channel section with open inner sides each receiving a respective slide flange whereby each tray is mounted for fore-aft sliding movement in a respective pair of slideways; a pair of vertical slide bars to which the rear ends of the respective slideways are pivotally attached; a pair of vertical slides attached to the respective side panels of the housing immediately adjacent the rear panel thereof and receiving the respective vertical slide bars for vertically sliding movement thereof whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of slideways and their trays may be tilted downwardly; a pair of vertical supporting bars to which the respective slideways are pivotally attached adjacent their fonward ends; and a pair of horizontal rails secured to the inner faces of the respective side panels of the housing; and rollers attached to the respective mounting bars and engaged in the respective rails between the latter and said mounting bars and adapted to roll in the respective rails for supporting said mounting bars for bodily inward and outward movements with respect to the open front of said housing, following the downward tilting movements and upward return movements of the rear ends of the respective slideways, and coil springs acting in tension between said slideways and the respective vertical slide bars, spring-loading said slideways for downward tilting movement.

7. In a tilting-tray cabinet, in combination: a housing having a back panel and side panel and an open front; a plurality of article trays each including a pair of side members, a back member, a bottom panel secured to andprojecting laterally .beyond said side panels, .to pro vide slide flanges at the respective sides thereof; a pluralityof pairs of supports of channel sectionwith open inner sides each receiving-a respective slide flange whereby.each tray ,is mounted in a respective pair of supports; a pair of vertical slide bars to which the rear ends of the respective supports are pivotally attached; a pair of vertical slides attached to the respective side panels of the housing immediately adjacent the rear panel thereof and receiving the respective vertical slide bars for vertically sliding movement thereof whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of slideways and theirtrays may be tilted downwardly; a pair of vertical supporting bars to .which the respective slideways are pivotally attached adjacent their forward ends; a pair of horizontal rails secured to the inner'faces of'the respective side panels of the housing; and rollers-attached to the respective mountingbars and engaged in therespective rails between the latter and said mounting'bars and adapted to roll in the respectiverails for supporting said mounting'bars for bodily inward and outward movements with respect to the open front of said housing, following the downward tilting movements and upward return movements of the rear ends of the respective slide ways.

8. A cabinet as defined in claim 7, wherein said flanges are secured in said supports.

9. In a tilting-tray cabinet, in combination: a housing having a back panel and side panel and an open front; a plurality of art cle trays; a pair of vertical slide bars to which the rear ends of the respective trays are pivotally attached; a pair of vertical guides attached to the respective side panels of the housing immediately adjacent the rear panel thereof and having guiding engagament with the respective vertical slide bars for vertically sliding movement thereof whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of trays may be tilted downwardly; a pair of vertical supporting bars to which the respective trays are pivotally attached adjacent their forward ends; a pair of horizontal rails of channel section secured to the inner faces of the respective side panels of the housing; and rollers attached to the respective mounting bars, received in the respective rails between the latter and said mounting bars and adapted to roll in the respective rails for supporting said mounting bars for bodily inward and outward movements with respect to the open front of said housing, following the downward tilting movements and upward return movements of the rear ends of the respective trays.

10. In a tilting-tray cabinet, in combination: a housing having a back panel and side panel and an open front; a plurality of article trays; a pair of vertical slide bars to which the rear ends of the respective trays are pivotally attached; a pair of vertical guides attached to the respective side panels of the housing immediately adjacent the rear panel thereof and receiving the respective vertical slide bars for vertically sliding movement thereof whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of trays may be tilted downwardly; a pair of vertical supporting bars to which the respective trays are pivotally attached adjacent their forward ends; a pair of horizontal rails secured to the inner faces of the respective side panels of the housing; and means on the respective mounting bars engaged with the respective rails for supporting said mounting bars for bodily inward and outward movements with respect to the open front of said housing, following the downward tilting movements and upward return movements of the rear ends of the respective trays.

11. A cabinet as defined in claim 10, wherein the assembly of trays is moderately unbalanced with an ex cess of weight rearwardly of the pivotal connections between the trays and said vertical supporting bars, and wherein said pivotal connections embody frictional holding means for resisting self-tilting of the trays downwardly from a raised position.

12. In a tilting-tray cabinet, in combination: a housing having a back panel and side panel and an open front; a plurality of article trays; a pair of vertical slide bars to which the rear ends of the respective trays are thereof whereby the rear ends of the respective pairs of trays may be tilted downwardly, said vertical guides being of C-channel section with respective channel flanges at the respective sides thereof and said vertical slide bars being of hat section each including a channel section body portion and a pair of marginal flanges at the open sides thereof, said marginal flange being slidably received in the respective channel flanges of said vertical guides; 21 pair of vertical supporting bars to which the respective trays are pivotally attached adjacent their forward ends; a pair of horizontal rails secured to the inner faces of the respective side panels of the housing; and means on the respective mounting bars engaged with the respective rails for supporting said 8 v r mounting bars for bodily inward and outward movements with respect to the open front of said housing, following the downward tilting movements and upward return movements of the rear ends of the respective trays.

13. A cabinet as defined in claim 12, wherein the assembly of trays is unbalanced with an excess of weight rearwardly of the pivotal connections between the trays and said vertical supporting bars, and including resilient, yielding tension elements disposed between said hat section slide bars and said C-channel section guides, each tension element having its upper end secured to a respective guide and its lower end secured to a respective slide bar for supporting said excess of weight.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,169,911 Beatty Aug. 15, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 494,331 Italy May 19, 1954 

